Apparatus for reduction of vibration in washing machine

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for reducing vibrations in a washing machine is disclosed. The apparatus includes: a rotatable drum configured to receive laundry therein; a stationary tub configured to receive and hold water; a cabinet surrounding the tub; a base under the tub, configured to support the tub and/or other components in the washing machine; a plurality of suspension units connected to a lower side of the tub and an upper side of the cabinet, configured to reduce vertical vibrations of the tub; and one or more dampers coupled to the tub and the base.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is based on and claims priority from Korean PatentApplication No. 10-2013-0164183, filed on Dec. 26, 2013, the disclosureof which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for reduction ofvibrations in a washing machine.

BACKGROUND

In general, an automatic washing machine is designed to removecontaminants from clothes, bedclothes, etc. (hereinafter referred to as“laundry”) using friction and the impact of water flow caused by therotation of a pulsator or other member in a drum containing water anddetergent.

In general, when washing or spin-drying is performed after the laundryis placed in the drum, the laundry may gather at one side of the drumcausing an unbalanced state of laundry in the drum.

Fewer problems may occur if the laundry is spread around the drum evenlywhile the drum is being rotated during the washing operation. If thedrum is unbalanced, however, vertical and horizontal vibrations may begenerated in the drum. Such vibrations may increase in magnitude as thelaundry in the drum becomes more unbalanced.

Vibrations caused by the unbalance of laundry in the drum may result inaudible noise. Furthermore, the vibrations may cause the drum to collidewith a tub surrounding the drum or a cabinet that encloses the tub anddrum and forms the exterior of the washing machine. Such collisions maycause damage to components within the washing machine.

A suspension unit for absorbing the vibrations of the drum has beenproposed to address these issues.

The suspension units are installed at various positions along theperiphery of the drum to connect a lower peripheral surface of the tubor drum to an upper portion of the cabinet. Each suspension unitincorporates a spring that acts to attenuate or absorb any vibrationsgenerated by the drum.

Because the suspension unit has a structure connecting the lower portionof the drum to the upper portion of the cabinet, it may be effective forabsorbing vertical vibrations (i.e., vibrations in the up/down directionrelative to the washing machine). However, this configuration may noteffectively reduce horizontal vibrations (i.e., vibrations in thefront/back/left/right directions relative to the washing machine).

In particular, although the drum begins to rotate at a low speed duringthe initial stage of a water removal operation, the speed of the drumwill eventually increase, which may result in horizontal vibrations maybe generated. In this situation, the suspension unit in the conventionalautomatic washing machine may fail to sufficiently reduce the horizontalvibrations.

A conventional suspension may be disclosed in Korean Patent ApplicationPublication No. 10-2013-56715 (published on May 30, 2013)

SUMMARY

The present disclosure has been made in an effort to provide asuspension for a washing machine that can sufficiently absorb vibrationsin both vertical and horizontal directions.

Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure provide an apparatus forreducing vibrations in a washing machine, which is able to reducehorizontal vibrations of a drum in the automatic washing machine.

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an apparatus for thereduction of vibrations in a washing machine including a rotatable drumconfigured to receive laundry; a stationary tub surrounding the drum andconfigured to hold water; a cabinet surrounding the stationary tub; abase under the stationary tub, configured to support components of thewashing machine; suspension units connected to a lower side of thestationary tub and an upper side of the cabinet, configured to reducevertical vibrations of the stationary tub; and one or more damperscoupled to the tub and the base, configured to reduce horizontalvibrations of the stationary tub.

The dampers may be sloped or in an inclined position when connected to alower outer side of the stationary tub and to the base.

The dampers may be evenly positioned along an outer edge of thestationary tub such that the space between neighboring dampers isconsistent or constant.

The dampers may comprise a coil spring, wherein one end of the spring isconnected to a lower portion of the outer side of the stationary tub andanother end is connected to the base.

The dampers may comprise a cone spring, having a diameter that increasesfrom one of the stationary tub and the base to the other of thestationary tub and the base.

According to embodiments of the present disclosure, vibrations and noiseproduced by the washing machine can be absorbed and/or reduced byincluding dampers between the tub and the base.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an exemplary washing machineaccording to embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an exemplary apparatus forreduction of vibrations in the washing machine of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view schematically illustrating an exemplaryapparatus for reduction of vibrations in the washing machine of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an exemplary apparatus forreduction of vibrations in a washing machine according to embodiments ofthe present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following detailed description, reference is made to theaccompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. The illustrativeembodiments described in the detailed description, drawings, and claimsare not meant to be limiting. Other embodiments may be utilized, andother changes may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope ofthe subject matter presented here.

One or more exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will bedescribed more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which one or more exemplary embodiments of the disclosurecan be easily determined by those skilled in the art. As those skilledin the art will realize, the described exemplary embodiments may bemodified in various different ways, all without departing from thespirit or scope of the present disclosure, which is not limited to theexemplary embodiment(s) described herein.

It should be noted that the drawings are schematic and are notnecessarily to scale. Relative sizes and proportions of parts in thedrawings may be exaggerated or reduced in their sizes, and apredetermined size is just exemplary and not limiting. The samereference numerals designate the same structures, elements, or partsillustrated in two or more drawings in order to exhibit similarcharacteristics.

Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure illustrate idealembodiments in more detail. As a result, various modifications of thedrawings are expected. Accordingly, the exemplary embodiments are notlimited to a specific form or illustrated region, and for example,include modifications of form (e.g., by manufacturing).

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments will be described in detail withreference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a washing machine according toexemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, FIG. 2 is across-sectional view illustrating an exemplary apparatus for reductionof vibrations suitable for the washing machine of FIG. 1 according toembodiments of the present disclosure, and FIG. 3 is a perspective viewschematically illustrating the exemplary apparatus for reduction ofvibrations in the washing machine of FIG. 1 according to embodiments ofthe present disclosure.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, an apparatus for reduction of vibrations in awashing machine according to exemplary embodiments of the presentdisclosure may comprise a tub 100, a cabinet 200, a base 300, one ormore suspension units 400, and one or more dampers 500.

The tub 100 may hold water and laundry in a washing machine 10 tosubstantially remove contaminants in the laundry and includes arotatable drum 110 and a stationary tub 120.

The meaning of “an embodiment of the present disclosure comprises theabove-described configurations” is that an embodiment of the presentdisclosure does not consist of only the above-described configurationsbut may include other configurations (e.g., that are well known in thewashing machine arts), as well as the above-mentioned configurations.However, since configurations well known in the art may obscure thesubject matter of the present disclosure, the detailed descriptionthereof may be omitted.

The drum 110 is in the stationary tub 120 and may hold laundry therein.When the laundry is in the drum 110, the washing machine 10 can supplywater to the tub 120 and start a washing operation.

The washing machine 10 is configured to operate in a washing mode and awater removal mode. While operating in the washing mode or the waterremoval mode, the drum 110 may rotate to wash or remove water from thelaundry.

The stationary tub 120 may hold water with the drum 110 therein. Thestationary tub 120 may be fixed without any rotation.

The cabinet 200 may accommodate the tub 100, and as illustrated in FIGS.1 and 2, may cover the tub 100 so that the tub 100 is not seen from theoutside and is protected from external impact.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the cabinet 200 may be a predetermineddistance from an outer surface of the tub 100.

Also, the base 300 may be under the tub 100 to support the tub 100 orother components in the washing machine 10. A motor 310 may be in thebase 300, and the drum 110 and/or a pulsator 330 may be in the drum 110and may rotate clockwise or counterclockwise via a shaft 320 coupled tothe motor 310.

The base 300 may be in the cabinet 200 so as not to be seen from theoutside while being under the tub 100 as illustrated in FIG. 2. Also,the base 300 may be seen from the outside when the cabinet 200 iscoupled to an upper side of the base 300.

Further, the suspension units 400 may be connected to a lower side ofthe tub 100 and an upper side of the cabinet 200. This may reduce thevertical vibrations of and/or from the tub 100.

When the drum 110 moves or vibrates, for example, up and down during awater removal operation, vertical vibrations may be generated by the tub100. On the other hand, when the drum 110 moves in aforward/reward/left/right direction, horizontal vibrations may begenerated by the tub 100.

The vertical vibrations or effects thereof may be reduced by thesuspension unit 400 connecting the lower side of the tub 100 to theupper side of the cabinet 200. However, since horizontal vibrations maynot be reduced by the suspension unit 400, the horizontal vibrations maycause a collision between the drum 110 and the cabinet 200.

In particular, drum when the laundry in the drum 110 is in a unbalancedstate in which the laundry is agglomerated at a side of the drum 110,for example at a left or right side and/or an upper or lower side, thehorizontal vibrations may increase.

The dampers 500 may effectively reduce the horizontal vibrations thatmay be generated by the tub 100. The dampers 500 may be between the tub100 and the base 300.

In detail, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the dampers 500 may besloped or in an inclined position (i.e., at an angle between verticaland horizontal) while connected between an outer lower side of the tub100 and the base 300.

Also, the dampers 500 may include at least two dampers which are spacedat predetermined intervals along an outer edge of the tub 100.

While, according to some embodiments, the dampers 500 includes fourdampers which are spaced at equal intervals of 90 degrees, the numberand angle of the dampers 500 may vary without departing from the spiritor scope of the subject matter presented here.

The dampers 500 may be implemented by a coil spring 510, wherein one endof the coil spring is connected to an outer lower side of the tub 100and the other end is connected to the base 300. While FIG. 3 depictsdampers positioned near the corners of tub 100 and base 300, the dampers500 may be positioned at the midpoint between the corners, according tosome embodiments. Similarly, the dampers 500 may be positioned atmidpoints (e.g., at an angle or arc of about 45 degrees with respect tothe center of the tub 100 and/or drum 110) between adjacent individualsuspension units 400.

The coil spring 510 may be or comprise a tensile spring providing anexternal force pulling the tub 100 toward the base 300. Therefore,because the tensile force of the coil springs 510 is provided atconstant intervals along the outer lower side of the tub 100, thehorizontal movement of the tub 100 may be suppressed or absorbed by thecoil spring 510. As a result, the horizontal vibrations generated by thetub 100 may be reduced.

Since the dampers 500 are between the outer lower side of the tub 100and the base 300 and is sloped or inclined, it may reduce the verticalvibrations of the tub 100 that are not fully absorbed by the suspensionunit 400, as well as the horizontal vibrations generated in the tub 100.

The suspension unit 400 may be configured to reduce vertical vibrationsof a magnitude that are less than a predetermined maximum magnitude orvalue that may be generated by the tub 100. This configuration mayachieve a better result because vertical vibrations of an averagemagnitude are more frequently generated by the tub 100. Verticalvibrations of a maximum magnitude may be quite rare.

However, in a unbalanced state (e.g., the laundry is agglomerated at aleft and/or upper side and a right and/or lower side of the drum 110),when the drum 110 rotates, vibrations generated by the tub 100 may bemaximum magnitude vibrations (higher than the average value), and thusthe suspension unit 400 may fail to completely reduce the maximummagnitude vibrations. As a result, residual vertical vibrations whichare not fully reduced by the suspension unit 400 may exist in the tub100.

In some embodiments, the dampers 500 may reduce the residual verticalvibrations of the tub 100.

As described above, since the dampers 500 are sloped or inclinedaccording to some embodiments, the dampers 500 may absorb the residualvertical vibrations as well as the horizontal vibrations. Thus thevibrations and noise of the washing machine 10 may be greatly reduced.

Referring to FIG. 4, the dampers 500 may be implemented in another form.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an apparatus for reductionof vibrations in a washing machine 10 according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present disclosure. As illustrated in FIG. 4, thedampers 500 may be implemented by a cone spring 520, having a diameterthat increases from one of the tub 100 and the base 300 to the other ofthe tub 100 and the base 300. In one embodiment, the portion of the conespring connected to the washing tub unit 100 has a smaller diameter thanthe portion of the spring connected to the base unit 300, and thediameter of the cone spring increases as it goes from the washing tubunit 100 to the base unit 300.

According to some embodiments, the cone spring 520 is made by winding aspring steel in a conical form (e.g., around a cone-shaped anvil), andwhen the dampers 500 comprise a cone spring 520, the dampers 500 mayhave greater elasticity in the length direction than the coil spring510, which may improve the vibration reducing force. When compressed,the coils may be aligned to fit within one another such that a fullycompressed cone spring lies flat (e.g., no coil sits on another coil).

Although exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are describedabove with reference to the accompanying drawings, those skilled in theart will understand that the present disclosure may be implemented invarious ways without changing the necessary features or the spirit ofthe present disclosure. The scope of the present disclosure will beinterpreted by the claims below, and it will be construed that alltechniques within the scope equivalent thereto belong to the scope ofthe present disclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for reducing vibrations in a washingmachine comprising: a rotatable drum configured to receive laundrytherein; a stationary tub surrounding the drum, configured to receiveand hold water; a cabinet surrounding the tub; a base under the tub,configured to support the tub and/or other components in the washingmachine; a plurality of suspension units connected to a lower side ofthe tub and an upper side of the cabinet, configured to reduce verticalvibrations of the tub; and one or more dampers coupled to the tub andthe base.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the damper(s) are slopedor inclined between an outer lower side of the tub and the base.
 3. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein a plurality of dampers are sloped orinclined between an outer lower side of the tub and the base.
 4. Theapparatus of claim 3, wherein a space between neighboring dampers isconsistent.
 5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein a space betweenneighboring dampers is constant.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1, whereinfour dampers are coupled to the tub and the base.
 7. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the dampers are configured to reduce horizontalvibrations of the tub.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein thedamper(s) comprise a coil spring having one end connected to the outerlower side of the tub and another end connected to the base.
 9. Theapparatus of claim 4, wherein the dampers comprise a coil spring havingone end connected to the outer lower side of the tub and another endconnected to the base.
 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein thedamper(s) comprise a cone spring having a diameter that increases fromone of the tub and the base to the other of the tub and the base. 11.The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the dampers comprise a cone springhaving a diameter that increases from one of the tub and the base to theother of the tub and the base.
 12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein thedamper(s) are configured to reduce horizontal and vertical vibrations ofthe tub.
 13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a motor in thebase.
 14. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a pulsator in thedrum.
 15. A method of using an automatic washing machine to removecontaminants from laundry, comprising: supplying water to a tub in theautomatic washing machine; washing laundry in a drum in the automaticwashing machine by rotating the drum at a first rotational rate;removing water from the laundry in the drum by rotating the drum at asecond rotational rate, wherein a plurality of suspension units reduceand/or absorb vertical vibrations of the tub, and one or more dampersreduce and/or absorb horizontal vibrations of the tub.
 16. The method ofclaim 15, wherein the one or more dampers are between the tub and abase.
 17. The method of claim 15, wherein the suspension units areconnected to the tub and a cabinet surrounding the tub.
 18. The methodof claim 17, wherein a plurality of dampers are at midpoints betweenadjacent suspension units.
 19. The method of claim 15, wherein each ofthe one or more dampers comprise a coil spring having one end connectedto the outer lower side of the tub and another end connected to a base.20. The method of claim 15, wherein each of the one or more damperscomprise a cone spring having a diameter that increases from one of thetub and a base to the other of the tub and a base.